


I Can't Help

by Amberly



Series: Just Like Heaven [5]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-25 04:38:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6180445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amberly/pseuds/Amberly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wufei is sick, and Duo is determined to take care of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Can't Help

**Author's Note:**

  * For [maevemauvaise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maevemauvaise/gifts).



> This was a prompt request from Tumblr!

 

Duo opened the bedroom door slowly, peeking in with a furrowed brow. The room was messier than usual, with crumpled tissues strewn over one night stand, two mugs of tea and a glass of water next to them. The bed was unmade, covered with blankets, a large lump unmoving in the center of it. Duo eyed the lump with concern, then shut the door softly. The lump shifted. Crossing the room, Duo stripped off his Preventer’s uniform, tossing it into the hamper. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a bag teeshirt, then settled on the edge of the bed. Wufei, the blankets pulled tight around him, pouted back at him.

“Not feeling any better?” Duo asked, stroking his fingers through Wufei’s loose hair. His lover glared back at him, grunting in reply. Three days ago, Wufei had come home from work with a slight sniffle. Within a night it had exploded into a full-blown flu, and he’d burrowed into bed, refusing to come out. Duo did what he could, fetching cold medicine, hot tea and water. The occasional bowl of soup. Wufei was miserable and petulant, just shy of whining. Duo knew better than to hover, but that didn’t stop him from checking in. Frequently.

“Can I do anything?” he offered, looking around the room. “I can tidy up a little, help you get to the shower. Bring you some dinner. If you want.” Wufei stared at him, then nodded, sitting up. His nose was red, and he looked miserable. Pressing a quick kiss to his forehead, Duo offered his arm, nodding towards the bathroom.

“I’m sick, not an invalid,” Wufei griped. He took Duo’s arm with a glare towards his lover. Rolling his eyes, Duo helped Wufei stand, holding him tightly as they hobbled towards the bathroom.

“Very sick,” Duo agreed. “So sick your useless boyfriend is powerless to do anything more than help you to the bathroom.” He carefully lowered Wufei to the toilet, then stepped back, surveying him with pursed lips. “Will a shower be okay? I can run you a bath.”

“Yes, Duo,” Wufei sighed, rolling his eyes. “A shower will be fine.” He smiled tiredly at him. Nodding, Duo pressed another kiss to his forehead, then left the room, taking the wastebasket from beside the toilet with him. Wufei could bathe on his own, and if he couldn’t, well. Duo would be back soon. It only took a few minutes for Duo to collect the trash and stack the dirty dishes. He carried everything into the kitchen, setting the kettle to boil and opening the fridge for the left over soup. There wasn’t a lot left—he’d have to make more this weekend—but he poured what he could into a saucepan to heat. Then he got to work.

Ten minutes later, he had a tray ready. Mug of tea, glass of water, and hot soup were all ready to go, and he’d changed the sheets on the bed. Most of the blankets were in the laundry room, now, but Duo’d managed to find a couple extra, layering them on the bed. It would help, he thought. Wufei would have clean sheets, fresh food and tea waiting for him once he was out of the shower. Being clean, well-fed, and comfortable would hopefully ease some of his discomfort. It was all Duo had to offer. Leaving the tray on the nightstand, Duo pulled out a fresh set of clothes for his lover, then ducked back into the bathroom.

“Almost done?” he called out.

“Just now,” Wufei replied, turning off the water. He stepped out of the shower and into Duo’s waiting towel, rolling his eyes. Lips quirking, Wufei raised one eyebrow. Duo shrugged.

“I can’t do much,” he began drying him. “But I can baby you a little. I think I’ve been good enough so far to have earned it.” Wufei chuckled warmly, taking the towel from him to dry his hair.

“That’s fair,” he teased, voice oddly nasal from his cold. “You’ve been very patient.”

“Do you feel better?”

“Much, thank you,” Wufei admitted, kissing Duo’s cheek. Duo watched him dress with a smile on his face. He looked better, too. Still sick, still miserable, exhaustion already plain on his face, but less wretched. If Wufei noticed the change of sheets and blankets, he didn’t comment. Duo helped him into bed, propped him up against the fluffed pillows, then stood back, fidgeting with the end of his braid.

“There’s tea, and water, and soup. And I can bring you something else, if you want it. If you need anything else,” he offered. Any other time, Wufei would tease him. Would draw himself up, look imperiously down at him with sparkling black eyes. His partner loved ordering him around for play, and Duo was anxious to be useful. To help in anyway. But Wufei just pursed his lips in thought, then shook his head. Duo nodded in acknowledgement, then turned to leave.

“Wait,” Wufei sat up a little straighter. “Don’t leave.”

“You want me to stay?” Duo’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”

“Yes, Duo,” it was exasperated. “I want you to stay.” Grinning, Duo stripped off his shirt, then climbed into bed next to him. Wufei wasn’t sick often, and when he was, he wanted to be left alone. He didn’t like company, liked being babied even less, and Duo was already surprised he’d gotten away with so much.  Wufei didn’t acknowledge his eagerness. He simply sipped his soup, listening as Duo chattered on about his day. By the time the soup and tea were gone, he was ready to sleep again, eyes half-closed as he scooted down in the bed, burrowing into Duo’s side. Eyes widening, Duo looked down at his lover, fingers stroking through the thick silk of his hair.

“Want me to leave?”

“Duo,” Wufei growled out, glaring up at him. “When I want you to leave, I will tell you. You are very warm. Now. There is a book on my nightstand.”

“I see it,” Duo reached, conscious of Wufei against his side. Settling with his back against the pillows, he ran his fingers over the cover. _The Hobbit_ , in gold lettering. It was an otherwise plain book, with a worn binding. Duo opened the book to the first page, then looked down. Wufei stared back at him expectantly. Clearing his throat, Duo turned his gaze back to the printed words.

“ _In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit_ ,” he began, stroking Wufei’s hair. Wufei’s arms were tight around his hips, his cheek pillowed on his thigh, and Duo felt warmth fill him. In all their years as friend, Wufei had never let Duo take care of him while he was sick. He’d never once asked Duo to read to him. Duo read until Wufei fell asleep, arms still tight around him. Carefully marking the page with a piece of napkin from the tray, Duo set the book aside and settled deeper into the bed, pulling Wufei tight against him. Whatever had changed, Duo liked it.


End file.
